Having a lot of leftover food in the fridge can be daunting. If you leave them there too long, they will rot and that can damage your fridge. You want to finish them all, so heating them in the microwave or oven is the way. One question goes around in your mind, though: “Can I put a plate in the oven?”
It sounds like a quick getaway, a win-win solution. You can finish them all, one thing at a time. Besides, the fridge will be clean before your next trip for groceries. However, before you do that, make sure you check the quality of the plate first. Another thing to consider is the temperature in the oven you are willing to turn on.
3 + 1 Things To Consider Before Placing A Plate Inside The Oven or Microwave
Can plates go in the oven? This tiny detail is often missed by many people when they purchase some dishware. It is just like clothes with tags to show whether they are dry-clean-only or not. There usually is a symbol or a few words on the back of the plate. They will show you if it is safe to put the plate in the oven or not.
What if you do not get to find any on it? Hmm, this means Plan B, which is more obvious. Check whether the material of the plate is safe enough for a heating environment inside the oven.
1. Is it made from plastic or melamine?
To anything made from plastic, heat is the enemy. Heat melts plastic, even at the lowest temperature. Not only it will get messy, but it also leaves an unpleasant odor in the air. Plus, the smell may release dangerous chemicals. Your lungs might be irritated just by sniffing it.
2. Is it made of metal?
“If it is made of metal, can I put a plate in the oven?”
The good news is, yes. Stainless steel or cast iron, it does not matter. You can even put a plate in the oven if it is covered with enamel.
However, you might want to be extra careful when it is time to take that out of the oven. Metal absorbs heat so easily. To avoid getting your hands burned, wear proper, thick oven mittens. You can also use hot pads and treat it like a sheet pan.
3. Is it made from ceramic?
Ceramics are often treated like a frail things, which is true. The good news is, it can also put up with the heat in the oven. The key is to make the temperature low.
Now, after heating your food on a ceramic plate, there are things to watch out for. Just like with a metal plate, this one will be very, very hot as well. Taking it out will be a serious challenge too since ceramic does crack easily.
4. Is it made of glass?
Doing this with a glass plate is another serious challenge. You must know the level of temperature for it to stay intact in the oven. Be careful, though, since a glass plate can still break under a sudden thermal shock.
What is thermal shock? It is when there is a sudden change in temperature. The tricky part is, each part of the plate may expand or contract differently. One part might be quicker than the other when it comes to that. When that happens, you can say goodbye to your glass plate because it will definitely crack or break into pieces.
Then How Can You Put a Plate in the Oven?
Okay, so you still need a plate to place your food in the oven. The strategy is to maintain a low temperature of heat. Do not try to go over 250 °F—or what you may fear earlier will happen.
Of course, this also means you may need to heat your food a bit longer in the oven than when you do that in the microwave. Yes, both appliances work wonders to heat food. Make sure you also know how each of them works and how differently they do from each other.
If you can still bake some foods without a plate, then good for you. If there is no microwave at home, then food transferring to a baking dish or other similar stuff will help solve your problems.
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